Dewhurst, Cruz get ready for Round Two of their Senate showdown

One battle down, one more to go in the multimillion-dollar race for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate between Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst and national tea party favorite Ted Cruz.

Dewhurst led Cruz, far ahead of seven other candidates, in Tuesday’s race for the Republican nod to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

The two top vote-getters are gearing up for a July 31 runoff that has been portrayed nationally as a fight between the GOP establishment and tea party conservatives.

“Make no mistake, Mr. Cruz. I’m a fighter,” Dewhurst said at his election-night party at a Houston hotel. “I will fight for every single vote. And I’m going to win this U.S. Senate race.”

Cruz, at his own election-night party in Houston, challenged Dewhurst to a series of five debates between now and the runoff, chiding him for forums that he skipped in the primary.

“In this first round, which was supposed to be the only round, my opponent made a decision that the people didn’t matter,” Cruz said. “I am hopeful in this second round that the establishment has learned its lesson.”

(Dewhurst quickly accepted the challenge and asked: Why just five?)

It is the first time on a ballot for Cruz, the state’s former solicitor general and the son of a Cuban immigrant. Cruz, who relentlessly has fought to paint Dewhurst as moderate, had endorsements from national conservative leaders and groups including Sarah Palin, Rick Santorum, Jim DeMint, Sean Hannity, Ron and Rand Paul, Dick Armey and the limited-government Club for Growth.

Dewhurst touted his record as the most conservative ever forged by a lieutenant governor, pointing to actions including steep budget cuts and passage of a sonogram measure last year. He worked to portray Cruz as a candidate supported by Washington-insider groups. Dewhurst’s endorsements included Gov. Rick Perry, Texas business groups and state anti-abortion activists, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee.

Dewhurst, who made a fortune in the energy business, had put around $9.9 million of his money into the race as of the end of last week. Both he and Cruz — a Houston lawyer who put about $1 million of his money into his race, according to his campaign — also said they raised more than $6 million apiece from contributors. In addition, outside groups backing Cruz and Dewhurst put in big money.